


The Empire Strikes Back

by frobs94



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Star Wars References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 20:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7698487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frobs94/pseuds/frobs94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>El is laughing at Mike’s hyper reenactment of The Empire Strikes Back in the basement, complete with action figures and voices. The two kids had been at it for hours after she’d asked Mike to explain what he and the boys were always talking about (well, actually El had said ‘What war?’ with a scared expression so Mike sat her down for some very important education).</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Empire Strikes Back

**Author's Note:**

> There's not enough cute Eleven/Mike fluff in the world so this is my contribution.

“And then!” Mike shouts excitedly, knowing he’s getting to the good part, “Darth Vader says, ‘Join me, and we can bring order to the galaxy!’ but Luke knows he has to resist the Dark Side like Yoda and Obi-Wan told him so he says ‘No! Obi-Wan told me you killed my father!’ and then Darth Vader stops and looks at Luke.” 

El is laughing at Mike’s hyper reenactment of The Empire Strikes Back in the basement, complete with action figures and voices. The two kids had been at it for hours after she’d asked Mike to explain what he and the boys were always talking about (well, actually El had said ‘What war?’ with a scared expression so Mike sat her down for some very important education). 

“And then,” Mike says with reverence, “Darth Vader looks at Luke Skywalker and he says, ‘No Luke, I am your father.’” 

Suddenly El is quiet and very still. “Papa?” 

Mike remembers that night in the school hallway, with the bad man holding El’s face and speaking to her quietly. He knows that man was the one who hurt her, the one she called Papa, and it makes him furious just to think about. 

El looks like she’s waiting for an answer to the question and Mike rushes to sit down next to her on the couch. 

“Yeah,” he says quietly, “yeah he’s Luke’s father but it’s ok! Because in the end—I didn’t want to tell you this yet because it doesn’t happen till Return of the Jedi—but Vader kills the Emperor in the end and sacrifices himself for Luke and yeah Vader is evil but it’s ok because Luke has Leia and Han and Chewie and Obi-Wan and Yoda who are all his new family—"

El grabs Mike’s hand to stop his panicked rambling. A small smile reappears on her face and Mike realizes that she’s no longer upset. 

“Family” she says simply, holding Mike’s hand tighter. 

“Yeah,” Mike says, smiling. “Family,” he repeats and then kisses El on the cheek.


End file.
